Providing information, education, and training to build knowledge, develop skills, and change attitudes that will lead to increased independence, productivity, self determination, integration and inclusion (IPSII) for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

Gravelles And Social Worker Charged With Multiple Crimes Against
Children
By Dave Reynolds, Inclusion Daily Express
February 17,
2006

NORWALK, OHIO--Michael and Sharen Gravelle were charged Tuesday on
16 criminal counts of felony child endangering, eight misdemeanor counts of
falsifying adoption applications, and one felony count of lying under oath when
being qualified for adoption funding.

A Huron County grand jury handed down the indictments after hearing
testimony that the couple mistreated some of their 11 adopted children that
have disabilities by, among other things, forcing them to sleep in wire cages.

The children, who range in age from 1 to 15 years of age, were removed
from the Gravelles' rural home on September 9 after sheriff's deputies searched
the residence and found several wire and wood enclosures armed with electric
alarms. They also found a strong smell of urine, no working smoke alarms on the
second floor where the children slept, and the door to one bedroom that was
blocked by a dresser.

The couple maintains that they built the enclosures in 2003 to keep the
children from hurting themselves or each other.

Thompson, who had been hired by the Gravelles, testified in December
that she was disturbed when she first learned about the enclosures, but that
she later approved of their use because the couple was overwhelmed with the
children's behavior problems and agreed they were needed to protect the
children.

The Gravelles last month asked Juvenile Court Judge Timothy Cardwell to
have the children returned to their custody from the foster homes where they
have lived since they were taken from the home. Cardwell has scheduled a
hearing on February 22 to hear evidence from the Gravelles and from county
authorities on their custody request. The couple is now scheduled for
arraignment on the criminal charges the same day.

In December, Cardwell listened to testimony from several of the
children, including one boy who testified that he and his siblings were
sometimes sent into the chicken-wire enclosures as punishment, often for
soiling or wetting their beds. The boy also recounted how he was forced to
spend 81 days in the family's bathroom -- only being let out for some meals and
to go to school -- as punishment for urinating in his wire "box".

The GCDD is funded under the provisions of P.L. 106-402. The federal law also provides funding to the Minnesota Disability Law Center,the state Protection and Advocacy System, and to the Institute on Community Integration, the state University Center for Excellence. The Minnesota network of programs works to increase the IPSII of people with developmental disabilities and families into community life.